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✍️ Author’s Column by Tymur Levitin — founder, director, and senior teacher at Start Language School by Tymur Levitin / Levitin Language School
© Tymur Levitin. All rights reserved. Translation logic, examples, and structure — original author methodology.
⚖️ Why Legal Translation from Eastern Europe Requires Extra Care
Legal documents written in Rosyjski, Ukraiński, and other Eastern European languages often look similar — but their legal structure, terminology, and consequences differ drastically.
To make matters more complex, many terms do not have direct equivalents w Angielski lub Niemiecki legal systems. Some combine several procedural meanings. Others depend on whether the document is a ruling, a certified extract, or a fast-track order.
In this article, we compare real legal terms used in documents written in Russian and Ukrainian, and we analyze their translation into Angielski i niemiecki — with side-by-side equivalents, case examples, and warnings about mistranslation.
✅ No political references are made. The focus is legal-linguistic, not geographic.
✅ Each term is analyzed across four languages: 🇬🇧 English, 🇩🇪 German, 🇺🇦 Ukrainian, and 🇷🇺 Russian (as languages).
📄 Not All Court Documents Are Created Equal
One of the biggest risks in translation is assuming that a term like “решение” or “ухвала” always means “decision” or “judgment”. In fact, the legal and procedural meaning may differ.
We divide documents into two key categories:
| Legal Category | Description | Examples (EN) |
|---|---|---|
| Legal Content | The actual ruling, judgment, or procedural act | Judgment, ruling, decision, order |
| Court Document | Certified copy of that ruling (used for proof) | Court document, certified extract, writ |
Let’s examine each type across all four languages.
🧾 Key Legal Terms (Cross-Language Comparison)
1. Судебное решение / Рішення суду — Judgment / Urteil
Meaning: Final court decision that ends a case. Contains facts, legal reasoning, and outcome.
| Język | Term |
| Rosyjski | Решение суда |
| Ukraiński | Рішення суду |
| Angielski | Judgment / Final Court Decision |
| Niemiecki | Urteil / Endurteil |
📌 Note: In Ukrainian and Russian, this can refer to both the legal act and the physical document.
Example: 📄 Рішення суду про розірвання шлюбу
➤ EN: Judgment on divorce
➤ DE: Urteil über die Scheidung
➤ RU: Решение суда о расторжении брака
➤ UA: Рішення суду про розірвання шлюбу
2. Ухвала / Определение — Court Order / Beschluss
Meaning: Procedural step or instruction from the court (not the final decision).
| Język | Term |
| Rosyjski | Определение суда |
| Ukraiński | Ухвала суду |
| Angielski | Court order / Procedural ruling |
| Niemiecki | Beschluss |
Example: 📄 Ухвала суду про відкриття провадження
➤ EN: Order to open proceedings
➤ DE: Beschluss über die Verfahrenseröffnung
➤ RU: Определение об открытии производства
➤ UA: Ухвала про відкриття провадження
3. Судовий наказ / Судебный приказ — Writ / Vollstreckungsbefehl
Meaning: Simplified, non-contested fast-track decision (e.g. debt, alimony).
| Język | Term |
| Rosyjski | Судебный приказ |
| Ukraiński | Судовий наказ |
| Angielski | Writ / Payment Order / Court Order |
| Niemiecki | Vollstreckungsbescheid / Mahnbescheid |
Example: 📄 Судовий наказ про стягнення аліментів
➤ EN: Court order for child support
➤ DE: Vollstreckungsbescheid wegen Unterhalt
➤ RU: Судебный приказ о взыскании алиментов
➤ UA: Судовий наказ про стягнення аліментів
4. Витяг / Выписка — Extract / Certified Copy
Meaning: Official excerpt from a judgment, used as proof or for submission abroad.
| Język | Term |
| Rosyjski | Выписка из решения суда |
| Ukraiński | Витяг з рішення суду |
| Angielski | Extract from judgment / Certified copy |
| Niemiecki | Auszug aus dem Urteil / Urkunde |
Example: 📄 Витяг з рішення суду про визнання батьківства
➤ EN: Extract from judgment on paternity
➤ DE: Auszug aus dem Urteil zur Vaterschaft
➤ RU: Выписка о признании отцовства
➤ UA: Витяг про визнання батьківства
🧠 Don’t Confuse the Content with the Paper
Many translators confuse:
- The legal resolution itself (judgment / decision / order)
- With the physical, certified document (Urkunde / certified copy)
This can lead to: ❌ Invalid apostille ❌ Rejection by authorities abroad ❌ Misunderstood legal effects
| Document Type | Ukraiński | Rosyjski | Angielski | Niemiecki |
| Final decision | Рішення суду | Решение суда | Judgment | Urteil / Endurteil |
| Interim ruling | Ухвала | Определение | Order / Procedural ruling | Beschluss |
| Fast-track writ | Судовий наказ | Судебный приказ | Payment order / Court writ | Vollstreckungsbescheid |
| Certified extract | Витяг | Выписка | Certified copy / Extract | Auszug / Urkunde |
🧩 Legal Risks of Wrong Translation
| Mistake | Consequence |
| Translating “judgment” as “decision” | Ambiguity in legal status or enforcement |
| Using “document” instead of certified copy | Refusal to accept for apostille or submission |
| Confusing “order” with “наказ” | Major legal misunderstanding |
| Leaving “Urkunde” as “document” | Loss of legal effect — vague and unusable |
✅ Accurate legal translation protects rights, supports claims, and ensures compliance.
🔗 Related Articles
🔹 How to Translate German Court Documents
🔹 How to Translate Ukrainian Court Documents
🔹 How to Translate English Court Terms into German, Ukrainian, and Russian
🔹 Understanding Realia in Legal Translation
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Author’s Column by Tymur Levitin — founder, director, and senior teacher at
Szkoła językowa Start by Tymur Levitin / Szkoła językowa Levitin
© Tymur Levitin. All rights reserved. Translation methodology and structure based on real court documents.
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